DAMON-'THE OMENS ARE GOOD FOR THE NEW YEAR'

Damon Sansum captured the third A class continental title of his career as British fighters claimed four medals at the French Open in Paris. Sansum proved the strength in depth of GB talent at -80 kg with final success over Aaron Cook. The 26-year-old former German Open and reigning Trelleborg Open champion defeated his Isle of Man affiliated rival 22-14. Sansum's total of five victories came a week after Lutalo Muhammad's success in the same category at the history making WTF World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Manchester. Sansum narrowly missed a Grand Prix wild card but his Parisen stroll-only one opponent got within three points-suggests he will be a serious contender for the next GP tournament. "It was a great way to finish off the year," agreed Sansum, competing for the first time since the World Championships in Mexico last July. "I had some tough fights with some world class opposition but I stuck to my tactics and strengths and won. "I feel that I still have more to come in terms of performance but watch this space in 2014," added the Manchester based star. Bianca Walkden showed commendable determination and courage to bounce back from her last 16 Grand Prix elimination. The Liverpool battler retained her French Open crown to double up Britain's final medal tally. And she did it in style with a final demolition of local favourite and London 2012 silver medallist, Anne-Caroline Graffe. "I just wish that this had been the Grand Prix last week," sighed Walkden. "But it is still a great way to end the year, beating the world number one 9-1 in her home town and hopefully I can do much more in 2014." Grand Prix champion, Mahama Cho, was a single point away from repeating his heroics from Manchester Central, losing 10-9 in the +80kg final to French star, M'Bar N'Diaye. The duo had met in the Grand Prix quarter-finals where an overtime punch gave Cho a golden point success. Olympic champion Jade Jones was excused duty after her Manchester perfornances. But golden girl Jones won't have missed a brilliant WTF Taekwondo debut for Charlie Maddock.

The 18-year-old from Stoke on Trent only joined the GB Taekwondo Academy in September after being selected through the Fighting Chance, Battle4Brazil initiative. But Maddock justified her call-up with a brilliant -57 kg bronze medal-the division Jones has dominated, especially against British rivals. Belying her youth and inexperience Maddock, a former dancer, was strictly in control against experienced Israeli international, Bat-El Gatterer, in her opening contest. She followed up with wins over 2013 Dutch Open champion Raheleh Asemani and Dutch fighter Bodine Schoenmakers before losing 9-5 in the semi final to Sweden's former European silver medallist, Jenny Agren. The 2013 Fighting Chance graduates, of which Sansum came through the initial intake in 2009, scored another success as former Northampton traffic warden, Darren Chapman, was just the ticket at -58kg. The 23-year-old one-time world kickboxing champion, scored three impressive wins before losing in the quarterfinals to Kazakhstan's London 2012 Olympian Nursultan Mamayev.
Results Female: -49kg: Georgia Barnes (Southampton) Round of 32 - Serrah Gaye (FRA) - Won 10-2 Round of 16 - Sinem Guldali (GER) - Won 2-1 Quarter Final - Iris Tang Sing (BRA) - Lost 4-3 -57kg: Charlie Maddock (Stoke on Trent) Round of 32 - Bat-El Gatterer (ISR) - Won 18-7 Round of 16 - Raheleh Asemani (BEL) - Won 19-12 Quarter Final - Bodine Schoenmakers (NED) - Won 65 Semi Final - Jennifer Agren (SWE) - Lost 9-5 Nicole Huntington (Ipswich) Round of 32 - Sourour Boulaiche (FRA) - Won 9-3 Round of 16 - Durdane Altunel (TUR) - Lost 7-5 Rachelle Booth (Wigan) Round of 64 - Jennifer Agren (SWE) - Lost 15-3 -67kg India Isles (Perth) Round of 32 - Iness Langronier - Won 21-11 Round of 16 - Nina Klaey (SUI) Lost 8-2 Rachel Morning (Glasgow) Round of 32 - Faiza Taoussara (FRA) - Lost 13-1 Taylor Shaw (Scarborough) Round of 32 - Dajana Perisic (SRB) - Lost 5-4 +67kg

Stephanie Allen (Battersea) Round of 32 - Niki Athanaasopoulou (GRE) - Won 6-2 Round of 16 - Anne Caroline Graffe (FRA) - Lost 12-1 Bianca Walkden (LIverpool) Round of 16 - Cannelle Maizeroi - Won 13-3 Quarter Final - Casandra Ikonen (SWE) - Won 8-1 Semi Final - Anastasiia Gurskaia (RUS) - Won 6-2 Final Anne Caroline Graffe (FRA) - Won 9-1

Male -58kg: Dominic Brookes (Manchester) Round of 64 - Slene Tafial (FRA) - Won 9-7 Round of 32 - Nicolas Pinelli (FRA) - Lost 9-6 Darren Chapman (Northampton): Round of 64 - Toufik Arbib (FRA) - Won 15-6 Round of 32 - Jarred Mckee (USA) - Won 16-13 Round of 16 - Mourad Laachraoui (BEL) - Won 7-5 Quarter Final - Nursultan Mamayev (KAZ) - Lost 14-1 -68kg: Jordan Gayle (Manchester): Round of 128 - Olie Burton (USA) - Won 10-4 Round of 64 - Daniel Manz (GER) - Won 9-8 Round of 32 - Abdullah Mehmet Evez (TUR) - Won 11-5 Round of 16 - Pantar Jure (SLO) - Lost 4-3 Ben Haines (Portsmouth): Round of 64 - Greg Caudron (FRA) - Won 10-4 Round of 32 - Chin Raihau (FRA) - Lost 8-2 Michael Harvey (Manchester): Round of 64 - Liran Malachi (ISR) - Won 12-6 Round of 32 - Bildik Umut (TUR) Won 8-7 Round of 16 - Konstantin Minin (RUS) - Lot 7-6 George Lee (Lewisham): Round of 128 - Luke Rob (NED) - Won 3-1 Round of 64 - Steven Barclais (FRA) - Won 5-0 Round of 32 - Omer Ramazan Evez (TUR) - Lost 15-12 Tony Stephenson (Bury) Round of 128 - Nikola Vuckovic (SRB) Lost 12-7 (WDR)-80kg: Andrew Deer (Tamworth) Round of 64 - Adil El Maouardi (FRA) - Won 14-5 Round of 32 - Aaron Cook (IOM) - lost 18-6 Danny Dowling (Exeter) Round of 64 - Ivan Karajlovic (SRB) - Lost 10-3 Damon Sansum (Elgin)

Round of 32 - Joao Santos (POR) - Won 11-1 Round of 16 - Miras Medelkhan (KAZ) - Won 14-11 Quarter Final - Toni Kanaet (CRO) - Won 12-6 Semi Final Ynoussa Sawadogo (FRA) - Won 13-9 Final - Aaron Cook (IOM) - Won 22-14 +80kg: Lyle Walker (Carluke) Round of 32 - Patrick Jonker (NED) - Lost 5-4 Murdo Mackenzie (Inverness) Round of 32 - Vedran Golec (CRO) - Lost 3-0 Mahama Cho (London) Round of 16 - Stewen Faustin (FRA) - Won 6-2 RSC Quarter Final - Vedran Golec (CRO) - Won 14-5 Semi Final - Arman-Marshall Silla (BLR) - Won 63 Final - M'Bar N'Diaye (FRA) - Lost 10-9

Forfurther details contact

Adrian Tranter President British Taekwondo Mike Mckenzie Development Officer British Taekwondo Or: Bethany Bishop Media Officer media@britishtaekwondo.org British Taekwondo, Office 6, Park Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, England, NG19 8ER T: 01623 656025 W: www.britishtaekwondo.org.uk F: www.facebook.com/BritTaekwondo Tw: www.twitter.com/BritTaekwondo